The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-23
INDIA's MARBLE DREAM.
A Moeui Emperor's Ten Million Mausoleum
to His Wife.
Indie Letter in Baltimore SUN.

Indie Letter in Baltimore sun.
Here we are at the objective point Of our jour-
ney, at Agra, the city of that fascinating dream
in marble, the beautiful Tai Maha the peerless
tomb erected by the Emperor Shah Jehan to
show his lasting love and to provide an appro
pirate resting place for the fair body of that wife
whose graces of body and mind were far above
the average Of her sex. Little did he foresee
that $50 years after his death this monument to
a pure, sweet woman would still remain the
most beautiful piece of architecture in the world.
Passing through an arched entrance. we find
ourselves in a large quadrangle, on one side of
which is superb. massive gateway of red sand
stone which forms the entrance to the Tai gar
den. The gateway is inleid with ornaments and
with Inscriptions in marble. and is sufficiently
stately and handsome to form fitting tomb for
any monarch. One of the beautiful inscriptions
in front ends with an invitation to the pure in
heart tc enter this garden of paradise. Passing
through this arched gateway, get our first
view of the TAI through a beautiful long avenue
of fountains marble pavements and tropical
trees, fruits and flowers.
Down this avenue are two narrow lakes in line.
separated by wide marble terrace. and down
which sparkles a long row of fountains, each
With q single slender jet. On each side of these
miniature lakes is a wide walk of white marble,
oordered by rows of cypress trees and luxuri-
ant growth of tropical fruits and flowers. At
the end of this beautiful lane, a high mar
siie terrace between four delicate and stately
towers, rises a cleaning milkAwhite mass sur
rounded by majestic loftily curying marble
dome.
From the marble terrace, about half way down
the avenue, one first gets full view OF the
entire building, and astonshment combined
with admiration, kept me there some time.
The building was there, but could not realize
that such Structure could be rea--could be
the work 81 human hands-but did realize
what s meant by expression frequently ap,
piled 70 the Taj-"A peaceful dream in marble.
'fhe Tai garden is a third of a mile in length
nv one-half that distance In breadth, it's lowe,
mart having been built mp straight from the bank
of the Jumna river At the river end. and
level with the garden, is rectangular court
yard running down to the river wall for dis
lance Of over $50 feet, and tagged with rel
sandstone. Built up IN the middle of this is
level terrace of white MARBLE raised between
twenty five and thirty feet above the level of thu
garden, and in the form of q perfect square
with an edge of over 800 feet Rising from eacl
corner of this square is a stately white marbl
tower having neat balconies at various height
and delicate open Pavilion at the top
The Tai, which is in the center of this terrace
takes up a space 1S6 feet square with the fou
corners facing the towers cut off, so to max
four wide faces and four narrow corners. Crown
ing the mid lie of the fat roof is a snow-whit
dome very b,gh and of perfect proportions fror
which springs a very long glded spike, having
star ard crescent at it's end. Four smale
domes surround this large one, and marbl
pillars rise from each sharp edge whic
projects from the roof. Set in eac
wide face is a large. deep dome
shaped arch deliberately carved, and containin
over il inscriptions in Maid black marble PER-
ian characters. On e;sch side of these and o
each narrow face are two smaller but simila